Healthy Brain Kits
Elgin County Library has partnered with the Alzheimer Society Southwest Partners to develop Healthy Brain Kits in 5 stages to meet the needs of individual abilities and strengths.
“Engaging in meaningful activities is important for individuals of all ages. For individuals with dementia, it is important for them to continue engaging in the activities that they enjoy by making suitable adaptations. Aligning activities with a person’s interests and abilities will contribute to their sense of self, promote creativity and add to their quality of life.”
McGill, Dementia Education Program
Why Should I Borrow a Healthy Brain Kit?
Healthy Brain Kit 1 is designed for any adult who wants to work on their brain health. “While there are some risk factors you cannot control for dementia, such as age and genetics, reducing the effects of risk factors that can be controlled is possible. By engaging with brain healthy activities, you’re not only reducing your risk of dementia, you’re also reducing your risk of other cognitive and chronic diseases, and protecting your overall health.” (Alzheimer Society Canada, 2024)
Healthy Brain Kits 2 – 5 include activities for people living with dementia and their care supporters. The kits aim to evoke memories, spark conversation, and create opportunities for meaningful engagement. Each kit is tailored to ability specific activities and strengths that will provide a sense of accomplishment and contribution, which is important for everyone, including people living with dementia.
For more resources, education and support for the person with dementia or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and for the care partner of someone with dementia, please visit the Alzheimer Society, Southwest Partners website and reach out to them to find out other ways they can help.
- Don’t worry if it doesn’t work the first time. Each day is different, so try again another time or try a different approach.
- If an activity does not seem to be going well, take a break or switch to another activity.
- Some people may only be able to spend 5-10 minutes on an activity (especially in Level 4 and 5). It’s okay to spread out the activities over the course of the lending period.
- The more stimulating activities may be best suited for the morning or early afternoon, and the less stimulating activities are better suited for the evening and to wind down.
- Suggest the activity in an open way so the person feels confident and supported.
- Avoid using the kits with loud background noise i.e. tv, radio, busy settings.
- If needed, break the activity down into smaller, more manageable steps.
- Inspire confidence and remove the worry about getting the activity wrong.
- Check with the person living with dementia; do they want to do the activity alone, or do they need assistance? Do they need or want prompts? Do they need or want encouragement?
- Allow for plenty of time, it may take someone 5 minutes to place a single jigsaw piece.
- Slow down, take your time, let the person with dementia set the pace.
- Enjoy the moment, focus on the process and not the outcome. You may never finish the puzzle, but you may have a pleasant conversation instead!
How do I know which Healthy Brain Kit will be a good fit?
Take a look at the Activity Level Checklist and the correlation to each Healthy Brain Kit or look at the likely abilities of each kit below. The general contents of each kit level is also listed for reference.
For any adult to borrow who wants to work on their brain health.
My Likely Abilities
- Cognition and vocabulary intact
- Independent lifestyle
- Want to increase cognitive reserve
My Likely Limitations
- Conceptual reasoning, memory and processing speed may have declined
- Age related issues with recall
- Some potential physical limitations
Each kit contains various items meant to stimulate brain activity. Healthy Brain Kit 1A & 1B contain:
- Healthy eating cookbook
- Brain Health Research and/or resource book
- Puzzle (200 or 300 pieces)
- Trivia and memory games that focus on mental fitness (Bananagrams, Mastermind, UNO, Rubik’s cube, etc.)
- Seek and Find Book
The exact contents of the kits may change at any time, this list is meant to be a guideline.
For adults who have concerns about their memory issues or have been diagnosed with an MCI.
My Likely Abilities
- Can produce ideas for topics of conversation
- Can follow conversation of others if in context
- Can look in obvious places for items
My Likely Limitations
- May not be able to solve problems that arise
- May not be able to understand complex sentences
- May not be able to understand topics out of context or with “double meanings”
- May not search beyond the usual places for items they may need
Each kit contains various items meant to stimulate brain activity. Healthy Brain Kit 2A & 2B contain:
- Leisure reading by Emma Rose Sparrow
- Puzzle (63 pieces)
- Trivia and memory games that focus on mental fitness (word search, crosswords, trivia cards, shape matching etc.)
- Conversation games and prompts
The exact contents of the kits may change at any time, this list is meant to be a guideline.
For adults who have had some difficulties beyond normal aging memory loss or have been diagnosed with dementia.
My Likely Abilities
- Can join in conversation with others
- Can use simple language skills
- Can find items that they need out of view
My Likely Limitations
- May not be able to find words for things
- May not be able to understand complex or fast paced conversations
- May go off topic
Each kit contains various items meant to stimulate brain activity. Healthy Brain Kit 3A & 3B contain:
- Leisure reading by Marlena Books
- Aqua-painting set
- Games & activities that focus on engagement, stimulation & conversation (marble track maze, easy sudoku, snap, finish the phrase, snakes and ladders, etc.)
The exact contents of the kits may change at any time, this list is meant to be a guideline.
For adults who have progressed along their dementia journey and have shown difficulties interacting with many activities.
My Likely Abilities
- Be aware of others who are at arm’s reach
- Can use sounds to communicate
- Can communicate through body language
My Likely Limitations
- May not be able to understand spoken language
- May need support from others to put on glasses, hearing aid, etc.
Each kit contains various items meant to stimulate brain activity. Healthy Brain Kit 4A & 4B contain:
- Books to encourage reminisce
- Puzzle (13 pieces)
- Aqua-painting set
- Games & activities that focus on engagement, stimulation & conversation (match games, magnetic picture boards)
- Sensory activities
The exact contents of the kits may change at any time, this list is meant to be a guideline.
For adults who are unable to interact with most activities and have a more tactile way of interaction.
My Likely Abilities
- Is aware of others in direct physical contact
- Can use sounds and body language to communicate
- Can respond reflexively to direct engagement through senses
- Responds to social engagement through body language
My Likely Limitations
- May not be aware of others
- Likely need full support from others to put on glasses, hearing aid, etc.
Each kit contains various items meant to stimulate brain activity. Healthy Brain Kit 5A & 5B contain:
- Books to encourage reminisce
- Sensory activities
- Yoto audio player with music and story cards for listening
The exact contents of the kits may change at any time, this list is meant to be a guideline.
Other Dementia Friendly Resources
Visit the Alzheimer Society Southwest Partners website for more resources as well as information about how to get support.
We also have other resources like books for care partners of those with dementia, non-fiction books for those with dementia, leisure reading for those with Mid-Late Stage Dementia, and more.